The Kutna Hora Bone Church: Life, Death, and Silver in Bohemia At first glance, Kutna Hora seems like any other once-prosperous European town. Big churches, beautiful cobblestone streets, and a central square that serves as the heart of the city and the center of life. If you haven’t ever heard […]
Travel Words
Wachau Valley Bike Tour: Austrian Wines and Crumbling Castles
Wachau Valley Bike Tour: Austrian Wines and Crumbling Castles Vienna is not, on the face of it, Europe’s most active or adventurous destination. My average day in the Imperial City involves exploring lots of traditional coffee houses and the historic Old Town, and only very occasionally something like a bike ride through […]
Vienna Coffee House Culture: A Melange of Everything Wien
Vienna Coffee House Culture There may well be any number of things I appreciate more than a historic cafe with a cozy atmosphere and superbly tasty coffee, but anytime I’m in Vienna the memory of those others seems to get lost in the search for the perfect Wiener Melange. Vienna Coffee […]
Beylerbeyi Palace: The Boshphorus’ Forgotten Ottoman Residence
The Beylerbeyi Palace in Istanbul is a lovely escape from the city heat, but because of its removed location doesn’t see hardly any tourists. Planning to visit?
Hiking in Kyrgyzstan: Chunkurchak Valley
Hiking in Kyrgyzstan: Chunkurchak Valley There are moments when I want to hike for days on end, climbing a new mountain pass every morning and exploring a new valley each afternoon. There are also moments when I want to get out of the city for a day and take a […]
Life in a Medieval City: A Day in Provins, France.
Life in a Medieval City: A Day in Provins, France Sometimes you just don’t get it till you get there. No matter how much you hear about a place, how many adjectives are used to describe its appeal and beauty, you just can’t picture it without actually having seen it. […]